As Castro Watches, U.s. Youths Decry Embargo

International Leftists' Fest Draws Thousands To Cuba

July 29, 1997|By William E. Gibson and Doreen Hemlock, Sun-Sentinel, South Florida. Tribune news services contributed to this report.

HAVANA — Defying the U.S. government, a large delegation of young Americans marched through the streets of the Cuban capital Monday, along with thousands of youths from around the world.

Waving Old Glory and chanting "Cuba si, embargo no," the Americans joined more than 7,000 marchers who sang, danced and chanted to the beat of leftist Latin politics at the opening of an international youth festival.

His arm raised high and sweeping from side to side, Fidel Castro, playing the proud host, greeted the marchers as they poured into a plaza.

Cuban officials hope to use the international festival, the first in the communist world since the collapse of the Soviet Union, to foster leftist causes worldwide and to inspire youthful support for the Castro regime.

They were especially proud that 740 Americans, forming the largest delegation, joined the festival in defiance of travel restrictions by the U.S. government.

"That shows that U.S. youth do not agree with the hostile and aggressive policies of their government," said Rafael Polanco, head of the Cuban committee that organized the event.

The marchers generally agreed with the anti-U.S. theme. They oppose the U.S. embargo against Cuba, but they do not necessarily want to lend support to Castro and his brand of socialism.

"It's a cruel thing our government is doing to the Cuban people," said David Mendoza, 20, a Cuban-American from Dallas. "We know there are human rights problems in Cuba and we're concerned about that. But these are independent and proud people. They should be free to choose their government, and we should be free to come here and express our opinions."

A dazzling blend of rhetoric from politicians and rhythmic sounds from Latin musicians enlivened the opening day of the International Youth Festival. It was a day for leftists to sing folk songs and anthems, dance to salsa and chant slogans while pressing for what speakers called a progressive agenda of social justice and anti-imperialism.

The thousands of young people reflected a wide range of views within a leftist context -- highly ideological Communists mixed with Social Democrats, socialists, crusaders for liberal causes and those who merely call themselves "progressives."

"I'm here because my mother and father met here in 1970 during the first Brigade, and I came back to find what they found, which is a place of love which can only take root through struggle," said Giulio Salvador Sorro, 22, from San Francisco, a student who works in a high school program to help inner city children.

Like most marchers, he opposes the U.S. embargo, which was tightened by last year's Helms-Burton law that would punish foreign companies that make use of U.S. assets in Cuba that were nationalized after Castro came to power. "The majority of the American people are opposed to Helms-Burton," Sorro said.

However, not all young Cubans were inspired by the international gathering.

"For all those youth in the United States who couldn't come to Cuba because the government wouldn't allow it, there are youth here who can't get to the United States because the government won't allow it either," said a 23-year old Cuban electrical-engineering student, who declined to give his name for fear of reprisals.

"The students who come to the festival should talk to other youth that aren't the ones assigned to them, if they really want to find out what's going on. Those assigned to the delegates are carefully chosen."

The Americans arrived late Sunday night, after stopping in Cancun, Mexico, or the Bahamas to evade U.S. restrictions on direct travel to Cuba.

Earlier this month, the Treasury Department refused to give travel permits to the Americans, citing rules against economic transactions in Cuba.

At the time, a coalition of organizations supporting American participation issued a statement saying, "We believe that our right to travel freely must be upheld and that denying anyone's right to travel to Cuba is a threat to all of our civil liberties."

The Cuban government relished the chance to revive the festival, a leftist institution going back 50 years that had been suspended since the fall of European Communism in 1989.

"For Cuba, it is an honor to resurrect this tradition," said Omar Mendoza, a Cuban government coordinator of the festival.

The marchers on Monday paraded through downtown before massing around the plaza at the base of the famous five tiers of steps leading up to the University of Havana. Above them gleamed a dozen brilliantly colored depictions of Che Guevara, still regarded as the spiritual leader of the Cuban revolution.

Leading the march were the Cuban participants, who ran the last few paces while chanting "Fidel!" Banners proclaimed the ultimate victory of Socialism and Che's refrain, "We will win!"

Tens of thousands of other Cubans turned out to watch the procession, on balconies, on patios, sitting on steps of their homes, lining the streets.